Piper PA-12 N3937M

Summary

On 11 August 2022 at about 19:52 local time, a Piper PA-12 registered N3937M was involved in an accident near Arctic Village, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 August 2022 at 19:52

Classification

Accident

Location

Arctic Village, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

68.7201, -146.2341

Aircraft

Piper PA-12

Registration

N3937M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marsh Strip → Chandalar Lake

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC22FA066

1 person died.

The pilot’s decision to depart in turbulent and gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was returning from a solo hunting trip when the accident occurred. There were no reported distress calls or radio communications from the pilot. The next day a pilot who was overflying the area spotted the airplane wreckage about 2 nautical miles (nm) west of a gravel airstrip. A review of the data from the accident pilot’s GPS revealed that the airplane departed the gravel strip to the south and then made a right turn into a mountain valley. The flight track continued west up the valley about 300 to 400 ft above ground level (agl) for about 2 nm, then made a sharp left turn and descended to the ground. The airplane impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude and came to rest upright. The forward fuselage and cockpit area were crushed upward and aft. Flight control continuity was confirmed from all flight control surfaces, through a few impact separations, to the cockpit controls. The flaps were partially extended. The pitch trim jackscrew was found in a full nose-up position. The propeller damage signatures were indicative of the engine operating at the time of impact. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The engine data monitor data indicated the engine was operating normally with no anomalies noted. A postaccident weight calculation, including fuel, revealed the airplane was about 61 lbs over its maximum gross weight. The airplane's center of gravity could not be calculated since the exact location/station of the cargo could not be determined. The pilot who discovered the wreckage stated that, on the afternoon of the accident, there was significant wind shear in the area with sustained wind at least 20 kts and gusting to at least 30 kts. He stated that the wind gusts were violent, which made him park his airplane on an airstrip about 15 miles east of the gravel airstrip and wait for the wind to subside. He added that another pilot who flew northbound over the gravel strip a few hours after the accident time reported that the wind conditions were very turbulent. The circumstances of the accident were consistent with the pilot’s loss of control shortly after taking off into reported high gusting wind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.